Muni to Install New Automatic Surveillance System

Muni stations may soon have a new video surveillance system that uses a “behavioral recognition” technology to detect suspicious activities. The proposed system by BRS Labs uses software algorithm to analyze video footage and sends alerts to a human supervisor about any irregular activities, according to a CBS report. The SFMTA public bid shows that there will be up to 22 cameras installed in each of the 12 stations using this human-free system.

SFMTA spokesperson Paul Rose told us that construction will be complete at the Portals by this time next year and complete in the stations by late next year.

The Daily Mail reports that the cameras build up a memory of normal versus suspicious behavior:

The company says will put them in 12 stations with up to 22 cameras in each, bringing the total number to 288.
The cameras will be able to track up to 150 people at a time in real time and will gradually build up a ‘memory’ of suspicious behaviour to work out what is suspicious.

So how does this work? BRS Labs President John Frazzini told Fast Company: